Flange-lubricator.



J. H. MINER.

FLANGE LUBRIGATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 1320;12, 1913,

1 1 1 8, 1 42, Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

JAMES H. MINER, OF LUMBERTON, MISSISSIPPI.

FLANGE-LUBRICATGR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

Application filed December 12, 1913. Serial No. 806,275.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J AMES H. MJNER, citizen of the United States, residing at Lumberton, iMississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flange- Lubricators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in devices for applying a lubricant to the flanges of car wheels for reducing friction and wear, and lessening the liability of an engine or car leaving the rails in rounding curves in the track.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and effective device in which oil or lubricant will be fed positively to the flange so long as the car is in motion around a curve but which will stop the feeding of lubricant if the car should come to rest upon a curve.

With these and other objects in view, the invention includes the features of construction and arrangement and construction of parts hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the claims, it being understood that I do not wish to limit myself with regard to the different parts of my invention.

I have illustrated the invention in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows the invention as applied to a locomotive, only a suflicient portion of the locomotive being shown to illustrate the application of the device thereto. This view is partly in section. Fig. 2 shows a de-. tailed view in section of the valve operating mechanism.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the truck or engine frame, 2 the wheels thereof, and 3 the axle. From the truck I depend pipes l having nozzles 5 terminating in proximity to the flanges of the forward wheels and arranged to feed lubricant to the flanges at the top of the wheels. The pipes L are connected to valve chambers 6 on the opposite side of the car from the wheel they feed and which are hereinafter more fully described. These valve-chambers are connected by pipes 7 to any source of oilsupply where the oil may be maintained under pressure, as, for instance, the tank indicated at 8. lVithin the valve chambers 6 are located slidable valve members 9 and 10 each having a passage therethrough for conducting the oil from the pipes 7 to the pipes 4 when the valve members are in the properposition as the member 9 in Fig. 1. These members have stems 12 projecting into the opposite ends of a horizontal cylinder or tube 13. Springs 1% are provided in the valve chambers 6 to keep the valves nor- .mally closed and their stems 12 projecting into the tube 13. Secured in the ends of the valve members are stems 15 having conical portions 16 with the apeX within the valve members. The coiled springs 14 surround these stems. Openings l'i'are provided in the Walls of valve chambers 6 through which the stems 15 extend, these openings being of such size that the stems 15 will substantially close them when the valve members are in their closed positions as 10 in Fig. 1. The tube 13 is supported in a horizontal position by the truck and contains a gravity weight weighing slightly less than the resistance of the air cushion, such as the ball 18, which is designed to roll freely within the tube 13 in case the tube is inclined in either direction, as would happen were the car to enter upon a curve in the track toward the right or left. The tube 13 has a depression at 17 in the bottom of the tube and central thereof, which acts as a seat to normally hold the ball 18 therein against the ordinary joggle of the train on level track.

The operation of the invention is as follows: Onthe level track, the parts are as shown at 10 in Fig. 1. When a curve is entered, the elevation of one side of the truck and the consequent incline of the tube causes the weight or ball to roll out of its seat and down the incline of the tube until it strikes the stem of the valve member (9, Fig. 1). This impact causes the air in the space between the valve members and the wall of the valve chambers to be compressed until the conical portion of the stem 15 begins to pass through the opening 17 when the air is released from this space in an increasing amount until the valve member is in its open position, when the oil passes through the pipe 4 to the wheel on the opposite and upper side of the truck. As soon as level track is reached again, the ball will roll back to its seat and the valve parts will return to their normal position as shown at 10 in Fig. 1, because of the spring 14, thereby stopping entirely any further feeding of oil to the flanges.

In employing the air spaces referred to, I secure a cushion of varying resistance for the valve members following an impact of the ball because, as soon as the conical portion of the stems pass into the opening 17, air is expelled in an increasing quantity and so oi'l'ers less and less resistance. Then With this arrangement the impact of the ball will open the valve and as after the instant of opening the resistance of the air cushion grows less, the more weight of the ball Will hold the valve open even though it is not heavy enough in itself to cause the initial opening. This assures a steady and continuous flow of oil so long as the curve is being pass d over Whereas, if an air cushion, offering unitorn'i resistance were used, the resistance would close the valve the instant following that of the balls impact and the desired lion would not result. Again, with the Weight of the ball less than the resistance of the air cushion, the ball can not open the valves by merely resting against the stems or even by slowly strilc ing them so that no oil Will be fed to the flanges when the train is standing on a curve.

I claim as my invention 1. in combination in a flange lubricator, an oil supply, feed connections from said supply to each Wheel to be lubricated, valve casing in each connection, a valve mei'nber in said casing with a space between said valve member and the back of said in combination in a flange lubricator,

an oil supply, tl'eed connections from said supply to each Wheel to be lubricated, a valve casing in each connection, a valve member in. each casing with a space between said valve member and the back of said c: sing in which may be formed an air cushion for exerting resistance against said valve member, valve operating means, an opening in the back of each casing, and a conical stem on said valve members projecting through said openings for varying the flow of air from the space.

In testimony whereof, I a'liiX my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES H. MINER. Witnesses R. W. Trioirrsoiv,

H. N. Russnml.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G. 

